Argumentative Essay: Football, The Sport Of America

Football, the sport of America. So why do some parents not let their kids play it? Well, there are some downsides to playing the game, but the advantages outweigh the disadvantages by far. Kids should be allowed to play football because it helps them stay active, it helps them learn essential life lessons, and the equipment is evolving and getting safer. Football is one of the many sports that help one stay active and fit. For example, according to Amir Khan, a U.S. News reporter, “Playing football can help kids stay in shape”(Khan 1). Obesity is a big problem in the U.S., and if more kids would just play football, the obesity rate would rapidly decline. If children don’t want to play football, then they should at least participate in some

In fact, according to Kim Gorgens, an associate professor at the University of Denver,”Organized sports are a learning lab for life”(Kahn 1). Some life lessons that one may learn through playing football are only learned by playing football. If a parent would not let their child play football, they may be losing a chance for their child to learn an important lesson. As evidence, Peter Schwartz says, “Playing youth football is a great way to build discipline in a child”(Schwartz 1). Discipline is a great thing to build up in kids so they will obey their parents and do well in school and, in the future, jobs. Some may say that football is just a way to destroy friendships and make children more competitive because of all of the hard hits in practice. In contrast, Peter Schwartz, a U.S.A. Football reporter says,”I’ve had many football players tell me that the sport played a big role in their lives...off-field”(Schwartz 1). In football, there are very large teams and children get a chance to connect with more people and create more friendships, not destroy them. These friendships last for a long time and are good for future life. Playing football can help strengthen friendships and help kids learn discipline and